This invention relates to a safety device for preventing the accidental movement of a motor vehicle gear shift level to a drive position until a predetermined condition is satisfied and more particularly, to a gear shift lock, mechanism which selectively inhibits movement of the gear shift selector to a drive position by a small child.
A motor vehicle operator who departs his motor vehicle for only a very short time frequently leaves the motor vehicle engine operating. The motor vehicle operator will generally place the motor vehicle transmission gear selector lever in a "park" or "neutral" position, which normally prevents forward or rearward movement of the vehicle, even though the engine remains operating. Each year, many accidents occur when small children, remaining unattended in the vehicle, move the transmission gear selector lever to a drive position.
It is a natural tendency of a child to imitate an adult driver, and children left unattended in an automobile will frequently imitate the adults by addressing the steering wheel and manipulating the transmission gear selector lever. If the vehicle engine is operating and the gear selector is placed in a drive position, the vehicle will lurch forwardly. This frequently results in extensive property damage and bodily injury, to pedestrians, bystanders and the occupants of the vehicle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a gear shift lock mechanism which will prevent the accidental or inadvertent movement of an automobile gear shift lever to a drive position.
It is another object of the present invention to provide safety apparatus which will positively preclude a small child from moving an automobile gear selector to a drive position.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a gear shift lock device of the type described, which cannot be moved to a lock position until the brake pedal is actuated in a direction toward a braking position.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a gear shift lock device which includes a control element located remotely from the lock device that must be actuated to operate the control element and permit the movement of the gear shift lever to a drive position, but which is normally inaccessible to a small child.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a control system of the type described including an electrically energizable solenoid which moves a plunger between a position in the path of a gear shift lever and a removed position in response to actuation of a control element by a brake pedal.
It is another object of the present invention to provide apparatus which will enable a vehicle operator to safely leave a motor vehicle unattended and yet prevent a small child from moving the gear shift lever to a drive position.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art as the description thereof proceeds.